Muscat: The historic inauguration was held under the patronage of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, marking the formal launch of one of the region’s most strategic energy projects.

The royal visit signalled the transition of the refinery from planning to full-scale implementation, laying the foundations for a long-term regional and economic partnership between Oman and Kuwait. Since then, the refinery has entered a new operational phase focused on responsibility, capability-building and sustainable value creation.

Engineer Abdullah bin Salem Al-Ajmi, Chief Executive Officer of Duqm Refinery, said the project has recorded steady progress across operational, commercial and financial fronts. In a statement to the Oman News Agency, he noted that since operations began, the refinery has exported 633 shipments to global markets, including 284 shipments in 2025 alone, reflecting growing operational stability and efficiency.

Al-Ajmi highlighted significant improvements in operational performance, with daily throughput rising from 230,000 barrels to 255,000 barrels per day, equivalent to 110 per cent of the refinery’s nameplate capacity. He said the achievement demonstrates the effectiveness of ongoing optimisation efforts while maintaining high standards of reliability, stability and operational discipline.

He added that the refinery’s supply chain has also undergone rapid development, with crude feedstock sources expanding from two countries in the early stages to twelve countries currently. This diversification has strengthened supply chain resilience, ensured continuity of operations and enhanced preparedness for global market fluctuations.

On the financial side, Al-Ajmi described March 2025 as a key turning point, marked by the release of the US$4 billion shareholder guarantee following the successful completion of lenders’ reliability tests. He said the milestone reflects strong confidence in the refinery’s balanced performance, governance discipline and integrated operating model.

Al-Ajmi said the refinery’s progress confirms its position as a mature and well-established operational model built on systematic planning and continuous performance improvement. He added that cumulative results achieved so far provide a solid foundation for long-term sustainability in the next phase of operations.

He also noted that total spending on local content in procurement and services reached 12 per cent of overall expenditure in 2025, supporting small and medium enterprises as part of the refinery’s commitment to strengthening local participation and working closely with the surrounding community.